As she saw them cling closer and closer together, she raised the stick, and was about to give each a knock. But she suddenly dropped it and shook with fear.
The house was shaking! What could be the matter? Surely, the top of the house was falling in!
The elves, for safety, took to their wings.
As they flew high in the air they looked down and saw the reason why the house had tumbled. It was attacked by a big black cat.
How her eyes did glitter and glare!
She snapped up Mrs. Mouse just as she was saying, “Hide, dearies, hide!” Then, “Children, run away!”
But the cat was too quick for them. She swallowed them all before they could even turn around.
When the elves saw that they were free, they turned to each other and asked what should they all do.
“I will tell you what,” said Pointed Toes; “I would rather go home.”
“Not faint hearted!” cried Spider Eyes. “Why, now we are surely near the beautiful world, and you must go on with us, and not turn back.”
“Yes, come on,” said Chip Wing. “I think, with Spider Eyes, that we are almost there.”
“And I think with Pointed Toes,” said Dusty Cap; “I would rather go home, too. Yet we must keep together so as to protect each other. If you still insist upon going to the beautiful world, why we will go with you.”
“Well,” said Spider Eyes, “we are going. We will find the beautiful world. We are almost there. When once I set out to do a thing I never like to turn back, and I am going to see the beautiful world.”
Away they flew, still seeking the beautiful world.